This invention is concerned with 3-(1-piperazinyl)pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazines and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which demonstrate serotoninmimetic activity and hence are useful as anorectic, antidepressant, analgesic and hypnotic agents.
Several piperazinyl heterocycles are known in the art, for example, 2-(1-piperazinyl)quinoxalines (British Pat. No. 1,440,722); 4-(1-piperazinyl)quinazolines (U.S. Pat. No. 3,470,182); 2-(1-piperazinyl)quinolines (Rodriquez et al., European Journal of Pharmacology 24, 164-171 (1973); 4-(1-piperazinyl)cinnolines (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,265,693 and 3,172,818); and 2-(1-piperazinyl)pyrazines (Belgian Pat. No. 840,904). With this invention there is provided a group of 3-(1-piperazinyl)-pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazines with serotoninmimetic properties and which exhibit anorectic antidepressant, analgesic and hypnotic activity. There are also provided processes for preparing the novel compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the novel compounds, and methods of treatment comprising the administration of such compounds and compositions.